Leave New York??

"The Lord had said to Abram, "Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father's family, and go to the land that I will show you." Genesis 12:1 NLT

National Conference was an overwhelming experience for me. Before going to it I think I was in denial of the whole residency application process and how many programs there are really out there. One of the presenters at an educational session we went to likened it to walking through an expo center full of used car salesmen fully convinced that their used car is the best. Our job was to find out which "used car," of all these great residency programs, was the right one for us to provide us for the best training to practice medicine where and how we'd like to. One of the most exciting things for me was that there are actually residencies out there with the broad spectrum training that Glenn wants. Before the conference he'd been battling between family practice and surgery (ie. procedures) and it was great to be assured that there are FP residencies that will train him to do more of the procedures that he wants to be trained in so that he can be prepared to practice either overseas or in a rural location in the US.

There are many great programs in New York but most of the full spectrum programs that he is interested in are not in New York. On the way home from the airport I came to the realization that I am going to leave New York, most likely. I have been a New York resident for all my life (with the exception of 2 years when we lived in Tennessee when we first got married). I have always known/ assumed that I would not live in New York forever. I have always planned to live overseas at some point. I never actually planned on raising kids in the US, actually. It was just a bit of a shock to my overwhelmed spirit that I am actually going to leave.

A couple days later, while doing my quiet time, I came across this verse:

"The Lord had said to Abram, "Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father's family, and go to the land that I will show you." Genesis 12:1 NLT

It was an encouraging word to me and reading it reminded me of God's faithfulness to Abraham. Abraham has always been an example to me (just ask my kids!) and I am so thankful for his obedience when God asked him to go. I know that I can trust God as I leave my "Ur," to go to that unknown place that He has for us. I know that He walks before us and He has good plans for us. I am excited to see what they are. Even if they aren't in New York :)